Clamping device for electronic discharge devices



1953 o. E. SAARI 2,662,220

CLAMPING DEVICE FOR ELECTRONIC DISCHARGE DEVICES Filed May 6, 1950 I NVEN TOR.

OLIVER E. SAARI ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED STAT ES- PATENT OFFICE- Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Delaware Application May 6, 1950, Serial No. 160,531?

2 Clams. (Cl. 339-11Z) Electronic discharge devices more familiarly known as electronic tubes, are frequently subjected to continuous vibration and extreme shock when used in our present day portable, mobile, and aircraft radio equipment. Such electronic tubes Whether they be metal or glass are designed n'irnarily to be mounted with the external prongs of the tube placed in an associated tube connecting socket. Especially in aircraft applications it is frequently found that this tube and socket connection is not of sufficient strength to support the electronic discharge device during normal use. While these electronic tubes are often small, they often control tively large amounts of power which increases the operating temperature of the tube. A of increasin the thermal radiation area of the tube or increasing the quantity of heat that conducted away from the tube can be benecial in producing better operation of the electronic device. Numerous tube clamping d vices have been propose-cl to hold an electronic discharge device in an associated tube socket. Some of these devices are designed only to su 'cort the tube while others have special features such as: providing for variations in the size or" the discharge device, providing for variations in the position of the tube with respect to the associated socket, providing a means or" increasing the effective surface radiation area or" the tube, and providing a means for the conduction of heat from uhe tube to a common mounting base. While such devices have provided a satisfactory means for clamping electron discharge devices in the normal case, it has been found that in many cases there still is not sufiicient provision for conducting heat away from the discharge vice. Furthermore, While provision has been made in such devices for adjusting for lateral variations of the tube, such adjustment has been rather diillcult to make and also has tender. to result in a connection between the clamping device and the base having a relatively low heat conductivity. 7

It is object of the present invention to provide a clamping device with an improved terinal connection between the mounted the 2 to provide a clamping device for a tube in which provision. is made for accommodating for lateral variation in the position of the tube by a relatively' simple adjustment which still provides an adequate amount of heat conductivity between the clamping device and the base.

A still more specific object of the invention is to provide such a clamping device in which the device is held yieldable pivotal relation to a mounting in such a manner as to provide for the members of the device to be hel in intimate engagement with the mounting base while permitting movein t of the members with rcspect to the base other to accommodate for variation in the position of the tube or to facili tate insertion and removal of the tube from a clamping device.

These objects are aoco nlished in my device by the use of two semicy ndrical metallic members that are designed to tightly enclose an electronic discharge device with a metal in substantial por'ion of each of the two i sis is held in intimate engagement with the common mounting base. This engagement pro des an improved thermal conductive betu n the members and the mounting The means, comprising a pin. and a spring combination, attaching the members to the mounting case not only provides an improved flexible mounting to allow movement of the members in a direction. parallel to the base, but the provides a yieldable connection urging the men s into engagement with the base and {or divergent movement of the members when the electronic tube is to be removed.

Gther objects the ent invention be disclosed in the course of the following spec1fioatic-n, reference being to drawing.

Figure l is a perspective View oi the invention having the two semi-cylindricai inbe tached to a common base latched 1" tion to surround the electronic disch rge tube;

Figure 2 is a front elevational v I of the in vention having the two sezni cylindrice rm; hers surrounding the electronic discharge and paricularlyshowing the means of iii/L ing the two to the common mount. ig' base;

"igure 3 is an enlar view of the lock-Washer assembly to attach e2 two selni-cylindrical "dil'lbfilfi of this in to the common moun ng base;

Figure 4; is a plan View of the invention showing the metallic enclosure surrounding electronic discharge tube; and

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the on aeeaeec its ventien, having the two metallic members separated and away from the electronic discharge tube to indicate the accessibility of the electronic discharge tube.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of this invention, the clamping device embodies a pair of semi-cy-- lindrical members iii and II forming a hollow cylinder oi thin black sheet metal which has a high thermal conductivity, about an electronic discharge tube. The semi-cylindrical members Ill and H in combination enclose an electronic discharge tube I? that is received by a tube socket l3 which is securely mounted by the rivets I! in a common base M. A portion near the lower extremity of the semi-cylindrical member H] is bent normal to the axis of the semi-cylindrical member to form a flange l5 integral therewith. Other portions at the lower end thereof and adjacent to each of the vertical edges of the semicylin rical member ii) are removed to form the two similar notches 22. The semi-cylindrical member I i also has two similar notches 23 and a flange it. Referring to Figure l, two elongated holes 215 and are located in the mounting base M diametrically opposite and adjacent to the electronic discharge device 12. The elongated holes 2i} and 2! are positioned so that the long dimensions of the holes are contained in a line extending through the central axis of the elec tronic discharge tube. A hole in each of the members is and H is centrally located in the flanges it? and ('5, respectively.

Referring to Figure one particular embodiment of an attachment means is shown. This particular assembly consists or" a pivot pin '25 having a head 25 and an annular groove or notch 2'! extending around the periphery of the pivot pin 25 at one end thereon, a washer 28, a helical spring 2b, a washer and a lock washer 3i adapted to be securely received into the notch 21 of the pivot pin W hen the holes of the flanges iii and Hi are aligned with the elongated holes 21! and 2| in the mounting base It to receive the pivot pins 25, the remaining parts of the attachment means can be assembled on the pivot pin from beneath the mounting base A in a manner shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 4, a spring clip consisting of a long rectangular thin piece of spring metal is attached at its mid point to a point on the periphery of the semi-cylindrical member ll midway between the upper and lower extremities and midway between the two lateral edges on the periphery of the semi-cylindrical member. When the two semi-cylindrical members Ill and H are engaged in a position about the electronic discharge tube [2 the opposite ends of the spring clip 4!] are adapted to be received into two similar long rectangular holes 4| and 32 in the semi-cylindrical member l0 that are placed midway between the upper and lower extremities of the semi-cylindrical member and having the long dimension of the two holes ad Jacent to the two diametrically opposite lateral edges of the semi-cylindrical member ill. The spring clip 40 is formed in such a manner that the opposite ends t3 and M. of the spring clip when engaged in the holes of the semicylindrical member ID results in a resilient compression engagement of the semi-cylindrical members H) and H about the electronic discharge tube l2. The notches 22 and 23 in the semi-cylindrical members l0 and H, respectively, eliminate interference between the members and the rivets I1.

When the electronic discharge tube 12 is mounted in the tube socket l3 and the two semicylindrical members [0 and II are engaged about the electronic discharge tube, the two semi-cylindrical members I!) and ll provide an increased heat radiation area for the electronic discharge tube. The thermal conductive co operation of the two flanges l5 and it with the mounting base 14 provides a thermal conductive path from the electronic discharge tube !2, for heat developed therein, through the two semicylindrical members is and il to the common mounting base it. The black surface of the two members increases the heat transfer from the tube to the members. The attachment means comprising the pivot pin 25 and the helical spring 29 maintains an intimate engagement between the two ilanges i5 and i5 and the common mounting base, thereby assisting the thermal conductive cooperation of the two semicylindrical members it and ii and the common mounting base.

Referring to i ure of t. e two semi-cylindrical members it and H can be pivoted about the flanges and it in a transverse direction away from the electronic discharge tube l2. The pivot pin is adapted to move outward from the electronic discharge tube by means of the clone J "'d 21 in the mounting base the divergence oi the two .1 members is and it from the electronic d ..charge device it. This divergence increases the ssibility to the electronic dis-- lien such a device is to be re e two semi-cylindrical members It and il l 1 pivotally mounted by means oi the pivot parallel to the mount g case M to accommodate variations in the later 1 position of the electube envelope with respect to t e mounting l l.

Numerous obj and m; 'n ventic have been iorth in the foregoing ne :r w. h s oi the structure -1 the invention, and the novel pointed out in the apg this invention it should be kept in mind that the disclosure is intended to be illustrative and the scope of the in vention is to be detclrrhl s... only by appended claims.

1' claim as my invention:

1. A clamping device for an electronic discharge tube comprising in combination; a base mem aer having a socket adapted to support the tube; at least two tube engaging members having good thermal conductivity, said tube engaging members each being of a height substantially as great as that of the tube and formed so as to substantially enclose said tube and embrace said tube in heat conductive engagement over a large portion of the area of said tube, and each member having a relatively large flange in engagement with said base member; pivotal mounting means for each of said tube engaging members comprismg a pivot pin extending through aligned openpi D ings in said flange and said base member, at least one of said openings associated with each of said mounting means being elongated to enable movement of said members transversely apart from engagement with the electronic discharge tube to permit grasping the tube for withdrawal from the socket of the base member; yieldable means associated with each of said pivot pins for maintaining said flange in thermal conductive engagement with said base member; and latch means for looking said tube clamping members firmly about said electronic discharge tube.

2. A clamping device for an electronic discharge tube having a base portion and an elongated cylindrical envelope comprising in combination; a base member having a socket adapted to support the base portion of the tube; two semicylindrical tube engaging members having good thermal conductivity, said tube engaging members each being of a height substantially as great as and of substantially the same radius as the tube envelope so as to substantially enclos said tube and embrace said tube in heat conductive engagement over a large portion of the area of said tube, and each member having a relatively large flange in engagement with said base member; pivotal mounting means for each of said tube engaging members comprising a pivot pin extending through aligned openings in said flange and said base member, at least one of said openings associated with each of said mounting means being elongated to enable movement of said members transversely apart from engagement with the electronic discharge tube to permit grasping the tube for withdrawal from the socket of the base member; yieldable means associated with each of said pivot pins for maintaining said flange in thermal conductive engagement with said base member; and latch means for locking said tube clamping members firmly about said electronic discharge tube.

OLIVER E. SAARI.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,050,885 Hafecost et al Aug. 11, 1936 2,067,323 Hirsch Jan. 12, 1937 2,257,232 Flint Sept. 30, 1941 2,499,612 Staver Mar. 7, 1950 2,543,740 Ridgely Feb. 27, 1951 2,601,027 Keim June 17, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 480,744 Great Britain Feb. 28, 1938 

